by
David Kupelian
The Boy Scouts of America is about to be torn apart.
In one respect, it doesn’t matter what BSA’s board members decide
when they meet next week – to change their long-standing policy
excluding avowed homosexuals, or not to change their policy. Either way,
the Boy Scouts of America will not emerge unscathed. It will be
bloodied. It will be hurt. The only question is: When the dust settles,
which side will the 100-year-old organization be on?
Consider the two alternatives.
If those currently entrusted to lead the world’s greatest youth
organization abandon their decades-old policy – the one that just six
months ago they strongly and publicly
proclaimed was “absolutely the best policy for the Boy Scouts”
– and invite into the organization open homosexuals, not just as Scouts
but as adult leaders and role models, all hell will break loose. Large
numbers of Scouts, Scout families and potential Scouts will, with great
disappointment and sadness, walk away from the Boy Scouts forever.
Moreover, most Boy Scout units – around 70 percent – are sponsored by
churches and faith-based organization like the Southern Baptist
Convention. Fred Luter, the SBC’s current president, put it this way to
the
Baptist Press:
“If that is what the leadership is doing, then I think it will be a
sad day in the life of the Boy Scouts of America. … To now see this
organization that I thought stood on biblical principles about to give
in to the politically correct thing is very disappointing.”
The bottom line, says Luter, whose Baptist organization represents 16
million members and more than 45,000 churches, is that the Boy Scouts
will “lose a whole lot of our support.” In fact, he says, Southern
Baptist churches will have no choice but to cease supporting the Boy
Scouts of America.
“A lot of them will just pull out,” he said starkly. “This is just
something we don’t believe in. It’s unfortunate the Boy Scouts are
making this decision.”
Interestingly, a “very disappointed” Frank S. Page, president of the
SBC’s Executive Committee, told the paper what happened when he met with
top Boy Scout execs recently: “[Boy Scouts Chief Scout Executive] Wayne
Brock visited with me last week, signaling the possibility they would
consider this proposal at their February board meeting. He specifically
asked the Southern Baptist Convention not to oppose this move. Of
course, I refused to make this concession.”
So, the Scouts clearly face an exodus of traditionally minded
Americans who don’t want homosexuals taking their children camping (not
to mention dozens of other vexing scenarios that will occur upon the
abandonment of the Scouts’ policy).
But now consider what happens if the Boy Scouts maintain their homosexual-exclusion policy.
They will lose the support of corporate sponsors who have been
intimidated and shaken down by gay activists. Many people in today’s
morally confused America will be offended and turned off. The powerful
and seemingly ubiquitous gay rights establishment will go into overdrive
vilifying the Scouts as bigots and homophobes, as they have long done.
And the mainstream media, in which (in case you didn’t know) gays are
very heavily represented, will brutalize the Boy Scouts.
There’s no way out. The battle is now engaged. Next week at their
board meeting, the Scout brass will either maintain their policy or
abandon it.
Right now, multitudes of current and former Scouts, adult Scouters
and their families and friends are contacting the Boy Scout executives
and board members and telling them, in so many words, to man up. For
over 100 years, BSA has taught boys how to be men. Now, those in top
executive roles are being told this is their chance to exemplify genuine
manhood. Not by demonstrating knot-tying or rappelling or first aid.
But by being real men – who do the right thing on the battlefield of
life, even if it costs them dearly.
Because the truth is, it is going to hurt – a lot – either way. But
then, this is the fate of all noble people, organizations and causes in
today’s America. We are at war, friends. Not a shooting war, but one of
conflicting worldviews, which ultimately boils down to the battle
between fidelity to God’s laws versus the prideful rebellion against His
laws.
You Scout executives: When the battle is over and your wounds are
being tended to, will you be able to hold your heads up high? Will you
stand up for the oath tens of millions of Scouts have sworn over the
last 100 years, to be “physically strong, mentally awake, and morally
straight”? Or will you side with activists who detest you, who couldn’t
care less about whether the organization you head continues to exist or
not, who have been suing you for years, and for whom conquering the Boy
Scouts is just another notch in their belt?
Since you will lose support, you will lose funding and you will lose the love of many
no matter what you do – why not do the right thing?
Remember, in the film “Braveheart,” the hero, Scottish
patriot-warrior William Wallace didn’t want war. He wanted to get
married, have a family, raise some crops, enjoy life and mind his own
business. But evil has a way of not wanting to let us do that, and
sometimes we get drawn into battle whether we want it or not.
Yet, it is in this very conflict that we are tested and proven.
Without the battle, no courage or character are developed, no true
manhood attained, no victory achieved. William Wallace fought the good
fight, the fight he didn’t choose, but which chose him.
The Scouts didn’t choose this fight, but it is upon them. Look up,
you executives and board members, you keepers of a century-old sacred
trust. For you personally, and for the Boy Scouts of America, this could
be your finest hour.
Read Kupelian’s previous column, “Why are Boy Scouts contemplating suicide?”
The U.S. Economy Takes A Wrong Turn
